The Complete History of The Star of Bethlehem

The Star of Bethlehem phenomenon is a never-ending topic for historical, astronomical, and theological debate.

But, unfortunately, some factors indicate the Star of Bethlehem never existed, and the entire story about the Magi is fiction.

Scientists, however, suggest that the appearance of the star in the sky could be related to an actual astronomical event.

Theories have been made regarding the Star of Bethlehem being a comet, supernova, or a light beam from planetary conjunction.

If these theories are true, the date of such an astronomical event could potentially indicate the year of Jesus’ birth.

The problem is, Biblical descriptions aren’t particularly straightforward and tend to vary depending on the author.

Today, many Christmas traditions are related to the Star of Bethlehem.

Nearly all of them involve lighting candles, symbolizing God’s guidance and hope, and commemorating the Three Wise Men, whose story is closely linked with the Star of Bethlehem.

The Three Wise Men

The story of the Star of Bethlehem is based on the Gospel of Mathew and revolves around the Three Wise Men, also known as Three Kings or Magi.

According to the story, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, three men came from the East to King Herod, who ruled Judea at that time.

The Magi allegedly noticed a new star appear in the sky and interpreted it as a prophecy of Christ’s birth.

So they came to Herod in Jerusalem and asked: “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the East and have come to worship him.” Herod was frightened of the thought of losing his power.

Herod told the Three Wise Men that he would also like to worship the Messiah and asked them to find him.

So the Magi went on their search guided by the new star, and when they found Jesus, they fell down to worship him. Then, they offered three gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

However, at night, the Magi saw a dream warning not to return to Herod as he was planning to kill the Messiah.

And so, they took a different route home and warned Mary about Herod’s plan. Unable to find Jesus, Herod made his men kill every newborn boy in Bethlehem.

Is the Star of Bethlehem a Pious Fiction?

Christians believe that the star was a miraculous sign. This reading of the Gospel of Matthew is known as the Star Prophecy.

Some historians believe the occurrence was real, and astronomers have undertaken numerous attempts to find a scientific explanation for the Star of Bethlehem.

Others consider it no more than pious fiction. Both versions have justifiable arguments in their favor.

Perhaps, the most notable argument demonstrating that the story could be fictitious is the fact that Star of Bethlehem is only mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew but never in the other three gospels.

Furthermore, many historians believe that Jesus was born in Nazareth and that the Star Prophecy is no more than an attempt to showcase his birth as a miraculous occurrence.

Some also speculate Matthew’s description of the Star of Bethlehem could be linked to Ancient Roman belief that each person’s birth lights a new star in the sky.

Astronomical Explanations

The word “Magi” is derived from Old Persian “maguš,” referring to a caste of priests into which Zoroaster, an ancient Iranian prophet, was born.

However, some etymologists draw connections between the words “Magi” and “astronomer,” which could explain the extensive knowledge of the Three Wise Men in stars.

Astronomers throughout history strive to find a practical explanation for the Star of Bethlehem.

They studied Biblical descriptions of the place Magi came from, the time of the year and searched for other clues that could help prove the story as historical.

One of the first attempts was recorded in the early 17th century when German scientist Johannes Kepler found a series of planetary conjunctions in the year 7 BC.

He thought that the conjunction has led to the creation of a nova – a newly emerged, bright star that slowly fades over a relatively short period.

However, the theory later was dismissed as a possible Star of Bethlehem scientific explanation by modern calculations.

In the mid-20th century, Latvian American astronomer Karlis Kaufmanis suggested that the nova, which could serve as the origin for the Star of Bethlehem, appeared due to planetary conjunction that happened in 6 BC.

At that time, Jupiter was in a triple occultation of Jupiter by the Moon in Aries.

Notably, one of the eclipses happened on April 17 of 7 BC, when Jupiter was in the East, just like the Star of Bethlehem in the Gospel of Matthew description.

This very occultation had a special significance in Ancient Greek astrology. Later, Firmicus Maternus, an astrologer for Roman Emperor Constantine, said that this eclipse was a sign of the birth of a divine king.

However, the theory about planetary conjunction from 6 BC isn’t that well-turned either.

During a colloquium dedicated to the Star of Bethlehem in the Netherlands in 2014, astronomers argued that the event happened too close to Sun to be visible to a human eye.

In 2007, American attorney Frederick Larson studied the topic and suggested that Star of Bethlehem could have occurred due to a conjunction of Jupiter, Venus, and star Regulus that happened in 3-2 BC.

Astronomer Dave Reneke considers that this conjunction was visible as a bright beacon of light.

After the event, Jupiter stopped in its apparent retrograde motion over Bethlehem on December 25 of 2 BC. During this process, planets slow down, then come to a full stop, and continue to move in the opposite direction.

Some also believe that the star was actually a comet or supernova detected in the Andromeda galaxy. Supernovas that could serve as the origin of the Star of Bethlehem were recorded in China, Korea, and Palestine in 4 BC.

Indication of Jesus’ Birth Year?

If scientists are correct and the Star of Bethlehem was an actual astronomical event, its date could help us identify Jesus’ real year of birth.

Based on the most common theories, the story of Magi and the Star of Bethlehem could have happened in years 6-2 BC.

However, even if scientists would come to a conclusion regarding the Star of Bethlehem astronomical origin, determining Jesus’ birth year based on this information would be hard.

The thing is, historians still debate whether Magi came to Christ right after he was born or some time has passed.

Herod ordered his men to kill all boys under the age of two, which suggests that Jesus could have been two years old at the time the Magi visited him.

Traditions Related to Star of Bethlehem

Numerous Christmas traditions are related to the Star of Bethlehem. For example, the second candle of Advent is called the Bethlehem Candle.

It represents peace and marks the preparation of Mary and Joseph to Jesus’ birth, yet some Christians also interpret it as commemorating the prophecy Magi saw before coming to worship Christ.

During the Protestant Reformation in Ireland, Catholic priests became illegal and were forced to practice their faith in secret.

They traveled around towns rather than stayed in a single church. On Christmas Eve, Irish people started placing a candle in their windows and leaving the door open.

This candle indicated traveling priests that they were welcome into the home.

In addition, this candle represented the Star of Bethlehem, serving as guidance to priests and commemorating the Three Wise Men, who also traveled far following their faith.

Another custom related to this Biblical story is lighting up a candle on Epiphany.

In the Western world, Epiphany is known as Three King’s Day and commemorates the Wise Men’s visit to Jesus. As you may have guessed, the candle represents the Star of Bethlehem.

In Moravian Church, the Star of Bethlehem is represented by the Moravian Star decoration, also called Advent Star or Herrnhuter Stern in German. It has at least 26 points and often features a light inside it.

The decoration is hung in windows at first Advent and is only put down after Epiphany.

The Star of Bethlehem can also be found on Chrismons, white and gold ornaments hung on Christmas trees in churches to commemorate specific Biblical figures or events.

Star of Bethlehem in Culture

Star of Bethlehem isn’t as common in popular culture as some other Christmas symbols, such as the Christmas tree or bells. However, numerous classical and religious paintings are dedicated to this matter.

Often, the star is depicted on paintings of the Adoration of the Magi. This subject in visual art narrates the nativity story and thus often involves the Magi and the Star of Bethlehem.

While the topic is common in visual art, the forms of depiction tend to vary noticeably.

For instance, Italian artist Giotto di Bondone, who lived in the 13th century, portrayed the star as a comet. Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, in turn, painted the star held by an angel.

In the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, constructed in the sixth century, a 14-pointed silver star marks the location of alleged Jesus’ birthplace, now called the Grotto of the Nativity.

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